Track-jack



E. P. CALDWELL.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

TRACK J AOK.

. (No Model.)

No. 569,574. 'Patented out. 13,1896.

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-vPatent'ed Oct. 13, 1896.

me mams Param@ omwoTburno.. wAsmNsTon D c i UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

EDVARD P. CALDXVELL, OF MINNEAPOLS, MINNESOTA.

TRAC K-JACK."

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,574, dated October 13, 1896.

Application led May 7, 1895. Serial No. 548,375. (No model.)

To LZZ whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, EDWARD P. CALDWELL, of the city of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Track- Jacks, of which the following is a specification.V

My invention relates to track -jacks designed especially for use in railroad-work.

It has heretofore been customary to provide track-jacks for use in surfacing railroadtracks which were adapted to be placed inside of the rail and were generally arranged to hook under the bottom of the rail, the body of the jack extending above the upper surface of the rail. Then a device of this kind was in use and a train was approaching, it Was necessary to release it and remove it before the train could pass. It sometimes occurred that the releasing device did not operate easily and the jack could not be released in season to avoid the approaching train striking it. Numerous serious accidents have occurred from this cause.

My object is to provide a jack of this class which when in use will be entirelyT beneath and outside of the rail, so as not to interfere with the passing train. Another object is to provide a jack of this class that can be quickly released in case of necessity, so as to permit it to be dropped and thereby avoid the strain that would be occasioned by having the jack support the rail while the train was passing.

A further object of my invention is to provide a trackejaclcwhich bya very slight exertion maybe made to lift.averyheavyweight, and, further, a jack which will act quickly and which maybe released or dropped almost instantly in case it becomes necessary tolower the rail or tie to permit the train to pass.

A further object of my invention is to provide a track-jack which will be of a comparatively simple construction, Which may be operated by an ii'lexperienced person, and which will be thoroughly durable and reliable.

My invention consists generally in the constru ctions and combinations, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in wl1icl1-- Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of a track-jack embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail of a portion of the handle, showing the arrangement for releasing the jack. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section showing a slightly-modiied construction.

The jack is preferably constructed of iron or steel and has preferably a broad dat bottom or base 3, forming in itself a sufficient rest for the jack when in use. Arranged upon or constructed integrally with this base is a suitable cylinder Li, within which is arranged ka plunger The upper end of the cylinder 4c is preferably provided with an internal thread S to receive a collar or ring Q, which serves as the stop for the plunger 5. A similar ring l0 is provided in the upper end of the plunger 5, said plunger 5 being preferably made in cylindrical form and having within it the second plunger '7. Both plungers have shoulders 5 and 7 upon their lower ends to engage the stop-rings 9 and l0. The cylinder 4 is provided with the screw-cap ll,within which the plunger 5 fits, and a enible packing 12 is preferably secured by the cap ll and is adapted to make a close joint with the walls of the plunger 5.

The plunger 7 is preferably made of two parts, being provided below its shoulder 7/ with the removable section 7, which is secured to the main part of the plunger by means of the bolt or screvs7 73. A suitable packing 13 is arranged between the section 7" and the main part of the plunger 7 and forms a tight joint between said plunger and the interior wall of the plunger 5. If preferred, more than two plungers may be used, telescoping within one another, and, in fact, any preferred number arranged in substantially the manner shown and described for the two-part plunger herein may be employed.

' The base 3 has secured to it or formed integrally with it a reservoir l5. A port or opening 1G prefen bly leads from the reservoir l5 into the cylinder l. Said reservoir l5 is preferably provided with a suitable cap or head 1S, secured thereon by bolts 2Q or other suitable means. Said head is also lpreferably provided with a threaded openin having the plug 22 arranged therein. As here shown, there is, preferably, a division-wall 2l between the reservoir l5 and the cylinder 4f, and

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through this wall the port lG extends. The pump barrel or tube 2G is preferably arranged within the reservoir l5, and its lower end is preferably screw-threaded and is screwed into a threaded opening in the division-wall 24. 'lhe lower end of this barrel is closed by. a threaded disk 28, that is screwed into the lower end of the barrel and has an opening through it7 within which is arranged the valve 30. A spring preferably surrounds the valve-stem, bearing upon the disk 28 and pin 34 in said valve-stein. Said Spring tends to hold said valve to its seat, and as the valve opens toward the cylinder 4 it prevents the passage of liquid at all times from the cylinder into the reservoir except when the valve is held open for the purpose hereinafter speciiied. Arranged in the pump-barrel is a piston 35, below which has a leather or other suitable packing 40, secured in place by a washer 42, said washer being heldin position by means of the screw or bolt all. A link 45 lconnects the piston 36 with an arm 48, secured upon a shaft 50. Said shaft 50 is mounted in bearings in the reservoir l5, and one end of said shaft passes through a suitable stuffing-box and is provided upon its outer end with a recess adapted to receive a suitable handle 52. The Lpun:lp-l; a1rel 26 is provided near its lower end with the inlet-port 54;, which is provided with a suitable valve G. Said valve is provided with a spring 58 and engages the valve-stem and tends to hold said valve at all times to its seat. The valve 56, in the form shown in Fig. l, is provided with a lug 60, extending inward through the port 5t and terminating below the end of the piston in the pu1np-barrel 2G. The handle 52 is provided with a lug (52, as shown in Fig. 2, and this lug, when the handle is in its normal position, engages a lug 64 on the side of the reservoir l5. This limits the downward movement of said handle, and consequently limits the movement of the shaft 50 and of the pisn ton 3G.

The operation of the track-jack is as follows: The reservoir being filled with water, alcohol, or other suitable liquid, some non-congealing liquid being preferably used in cold weather, and the plungers being depressed in the cylinder 4, the cylinder is placed under a track rail, tie, or other article that is to be raised'. The handle 52 is then operated, being moved back and forth, and thereby the shaft is rocked and the piston 36 is moved back and forth in the pump-barrel This causes the liquid in the reservoir l5 to be forced through the port 54 and through the port in the disk 28 into the cylinder i. This action causes the pl ungers 5 and 7 to be raised. These plungers would move together until the plunger reaches the limit of its movement, caused byfhe engagement of the shoulder 5 with the ring 9, after which the plunger 7 will move within the plunger 5. Should more than two plungers be employed, they will continue to move in this manner until all of the plungers have reached the limits of their movement, the inner or smaller one moving last. As there is a large diiference between the area of the piston in the pump-barrel and the area of the bottoms of the plun gers, but a small power will be required to operate the track-jack and to raise a very heavy load Supported by said plungers. lVhen it is desired to release the track-jack for the purpose of removal or for any other purpose, the handle 52 is drawn out so that the lug 62wili pass by the lug G4, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the handle is then forced downward so as to give an additional movement to. the rock-shaft 50 and the piston 3G. This causes the end of the piston or the head of the screw or bolt 4st to engage the end of the stem of the valve 30 and also the lug GO on the valve 56 and simultaneously to open both of said valves. This permits the liquid in the reservoir 4 to iiow through the open valves into the reservoir 15. In place of providing the valve with the lug GO, as shown in Fig. l, I may provide a rod 70, supported in lugs 72 in the wall of the reservoir l5 and held in position by a spring 7 6. The arm 48 on the shaft 50 is in this instance provided with a toe 78, and when the piston 36 is forced downward or inward beyond its normal movement this toe engages the end of the rod 70, forces it downward, and opens the valve 56. This construction is shown particularly in Fig. 3. In this iigure I have also shown the reservoir l5 arranged in an inclined position instead of in the horizontal position shown in Fig. il; `It will beunderstood, however,that I do not confine myself to any particular shape or arrangement of the reservoir l5, as any suitable or preferred shape and arrangement of this reservoir may be employed. In each instance, however, I seek to provide a low track-jack having a broad base, and the entire jack being of such height that it may be readily placed under a railroad-rail, and when so arranged the highest point of the jack being below the uppersurface of the rail, so as to prevent any portion of the passing train, such, for instance, as the cow-catcher, from striking the track-jack when it is in position for supporting the rail. This permits me to use this track-jack for surfacing roads upon which trains are passing at frequent intervals, and while it is not desirable to have the rails supported upon the track-jack while the train is passing, should this occur there will be no liability of derailing the train. Vlien, however, a train is approaching, it is desirable to throw the lever to the greatest extent of its movement, thereby opening the valves between the reservoir and the cylinder and permitting the liquid in the cylinder to flow back into the reservoir, thus permitting the plungers to return to their lowest or normal position. This prevents any strain or weight of the passing train coming upon the track-jack. y

It will be seen that I provide a track-jack IOO IIO

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capable of use in any position and one from which there can be no liability of causing derailment of passing trains, as is frequently the ease Where the ordinary track-jack is emand said cap, said plunger being provided with an opening in its lower end, a second plunger arranged Within the same, the removable section forming the lower portion of said second plunger, the packing between said removable section and the inner surface of said first-named plunger, the pump-barrel arranged Within said reservoir, and provided with a passage leading to said cylinder, a valve for closing said passage, a piston for opening said valve and means for operating the same, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of April, A. D. 1895.

EDVSTARD P. CALDWELL.

In presence of- RAE LINDsTsoM, y Rose-ELL II. BUCKINGHM. 

